Centrifugal pump and turbine reversible fluid transmission



Oct. 16, 1951 ALEXANDER 2,571,179

CENTRIFUGAL PUMP AND TURBINE REVERSIBLE FLUID TRANSMISSION Filed Feb. 13, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 77 32 J. -5 E 1:12 T w T 4 K 4' .9 INVENTOR.

- 0A W0 8. ALEXANDER Oct. 16, 1951 ALEXANDER 2,571,179

CENTRIFUGAL PUMP AND TURBINE REVERSIBLE FLUID TRANSMISSION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 13} 1947 INVENTOR.

Patented Oct. 16, 1951 UNITE-u PATENT ore-Ice".-

CENTRIEUGALRUMRANDLTURBINEe REVERSIBLEFLUID TRANSMISSION Davia mmxanai, Potts'tovvm'Pa: Applicationfie hi qary lii, 1947, Serial No. 7 28,322:

This invention relates tola device for "time;

mittingpowerfroin an engine, rnotor',or"thelik' to a driven shaft or the? IiKe" thatfinaylh ve' wheels thereon such asme 'wheels' of aniotofve' hicle, and in particular inbludes'jadriv'ifig rdtor 5;

e purto'se" of the" invention is" to" transfer 15:

power fib'm'a positive" source suchesfamotor en gineor' the like; tb'ob ratirig'jeTeme'nts"ofa ma chinelor't'the like Without a'dir'ec't conne'c'tiodb'e tween the power"S0iii'ciafidinachineT.

lnthe'usu'al type of fluid 'dfive,va1vs' or other: 20

devices are required to regulate? the'lffouf'of "ii in order to' ch'aifge the s' dedjbffai citatd el e or regulated passages areused btween the pellers or driving and driven units, andjthesere' quire'coifip'arativelycomplicated"operatlnginstru- 5 Certain appli'cationsf'for fiuid drivetransnfis sio'ns present" a variety ofope'rating'" conditions and problemswhichtheusual types are not ca'rizt ample," an automotive vehicle reqdi'resbotifto hue multiplication and unit ratio trensmission'ch'ar acteristicsh Thus it has heretofore heeneustomarjf to em loy mechanica1"transrniss'iozfdev'foes"in, conjunction witha'fiuid coupling or convert r iii autbinbtiveapplicatibn s, to satisfy the difi'ieiif requirements; However, these"c6in1o'inedihydrau lie-mechanical devices" are 11:06 e'iiiien ive mi" use; on vehicles in the rnediurnand' low price classes;

are objection-ably complicatesanawfiererbfef dif i isto-providea a" discharge'j'orifice' pro: 10,,

' flui -Itr s iggbnggvice thatisadaptedioi use in substantially ntrees qf'motofvehicls.

A further'object of thefiiivehti''nis tb'brbvid'e a fiuid transmission partiiila'rlj ad'apted forus motor ve hicl es and merge; which 1st: 91"(30' paratively siniple and'eco'fiorriial construction.

More in detaihthe invention ernh'odies a'driv ing rotor geared pa e" eriigifie 'orin'oto'rof ajn'fotbf'l vehicle surrounded bifa dri'ifi'viith" a"disch'a'rge orifice in one sideand ifiletbi'ae'ni'figsiri the othet a driven rotor positioned in trie'p'atuoruisensrse' of the orifice'o'f'thedifir'n 'df'thedrivi'ng'rotorf a housing enclosing the rotors and drum'; and means igear'i'ngi' the drive'rfrotbi" to 'a" machine, Wheeis'of a motor vehiI'fior thelikf. 1

For a full and Inor''cofnrfltunderstandingdf" the invention; referfice'maYbe' had'tdtheidl lowing descrintio'n" and" accompanying drawings? wherein? V Figure 1' a'viw showing a longitudinal tiohtniougn the musing-drum; androtoi sf.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the transmission'uiiit withparts' of tlihdus'inghndfirumbrokenaway andwith parts shown inf'section.

Figure 3' is'a view showing asectiod' orr lirie 3 -3 Of Figure 2 illustrating the'driving and" re versing gears associated Withthe drivenrotor.

Figure 4 a cross=section on me- 4='-4' of Fig ure 2 illfis'tratirig'afcl'utch" actuating lever;

Figure 5is' alongitudinal section similar to that shown in Figure lshbwing a"modificationwvhere inmeans is"'provided*for reversing the direction of rotation'ofthe driven rotorr Figure'6 is a plan"viewof"thetransmissiorr unit as shown in- Figure5'" showing a power shaft adapted toextend'to" ai'unotor-arid a'driven shaft on thebutr ends ofwh'ieh the wheelsof-a moto'r vehicle may be positioned? Referring now to the drawings, as shown Figures 1'to'4: inclusive, the'transmissiorr unit -of this invention iricl'u'de's an impeller or driving rotor [9} a driverfiib'tdn l I; a drim'l'WZ, Whousi-n l 3 and suitable" driving and driven gear connec tiorisithioug'h -which"IJiZfWer m'ifb" applied 'to" the unit and armies therefrom: I

In the design shown in Figures 1 and" 2; the rotor -I'D'is keyed meshed Irma-key- 15? and the shaft isfi'dtltabl'y mburitu t rough Suitable bearings I 6. and I! iI'i thenousmg e l with ane end of thesha'ft eX'tefi gthrough" th'hbhs'iiif and provided; at the'ou endj withag'ear 18? The" driving rotor" isprovided'with end ilates l 9 and? with blades 2! 'fixedly moufitedfhtwelfi the end istes, andthe" ends of the b ades re spaced froiri the iifiir surfaces: "thei'drur'ri" I 2";"

3 which is also provided with end plates, as indicated by the numerals 22 and 23. The drum is stationary in the housing, being positioned on the hubs l6 and H, and at one side is a discharge orifice 24 which extends substantially throughout the width thereof. The lower surface of the drum is provided with elongated inlet slots 25 through which fluid in the housing is drawn into the drum as the rotor l rotates.

The driven rotor II is keyed on a shaft 26 by a key 21, and this is provided with end plates 28 and 29 in which the ends of the blades 30 thereof are fixedly held. The shaft 26 on which the driven rotor is mounted is rotatably mounted in the housing |3 through bearings 3| and 32, and, in the design shown, one end 33 of the shaft extends outward into a gear housing 34.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, a gear 35 is fixedly mounted on the end 33 of the shaft 26, and this gear is positioned to mesh with gears 36 and 31 on stub shafts 38 and 39, the gear 31 being adapted to drive a shaft 46 in one direction through a gear 4| below the gear 35 and mounted on the shaft 49; and the gear 36 driving the shaft 4|! in the opposite direction through an intermediate idler gear 42 on a stub shaft 43. The gears 36 and 3'1 are provided with clutch collars 44 and 45, and through these collars, the gears are influenced to travel on the shafts 38 and 39- by a handle 46 which actuates yokes 4i and 48 at the ends of a rocker arm 49 on the lower end of a Vertical rod By turning the handle 46 in one direction, the yoke 48 will slide the gear 31 on the shaft 39 until it meshes with the gear 35, so that it will drive the gear 4|, and as the handle 46 is actuated in the opposite direction, it will withdraw the gear 31 and slide the gear 36 into mesh with the gears 35 and 42, wherein the gear 4|, meshing with the gear 42, will be driven in the opposite direction.

The shaft l4 of the driving rotor I0 is rotated through the gear l8 at the end thereof which is positioned to meshwith an internal gear 5i in a sleeve 52 of a clutch element 53 in a clutch housing 54 positioned at one side of the housing |3. The clutch element 53 is actuated by a yoke 55 on a clutch collar 66 thereof and is urged to contact a corresponding clutch element 51 by a spring 58. It will be noted that in travelling on the shaft M, the clutch element 53 first moves to such a position that the gears l8 and 5| mesh, and then the elements 53 and 51 contact. The clutch element 54 is mounted on a shaft 58 having a gear 59 on the outer end and the gear 59 meshes with a gear 69 that may be positioned on a shaft 6| extending from a motor, engine, or the like.

' In the design shown in Figures 5 and 6, the device is provided with rotors 62 and 63 similar to the rotors l8 and and in this design the rotor 62 is keyed to a shaft 64 by a key 65, and the rotor 63 is keyed to a shaft 66 by a key 61. The rotor 62 is surrounded by a drum 68 similar to the drum I2, and the drum 68 is provided with an elongated discharge orifice 69 positioned so that fluid discharged therefrom will impinge the blades of the rotor 63. In this design, the drum 68 is pivotally mounted in a housing and the position thereof is controlled by a rod 1| attached to the drum at the point 12 and provided with a button 13 at the outer end. With the rod 1|, the drum 68 may be actuated whereby the orifice 69 may discharge fluid against the blades of the rotor 63 either above or below the center, wherein the 4 rotor may be rotated in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. By this means, a vehicle driven through the fluid transmission may be driven ahead or in reverse by actuation of the drum 68 by the rod H. The shaft 66 may extend at both sides, as illustrated in Figure 6 so that either the rear or front wheels of a motor vehicle may be positioned on the ends thereof, and the vehicle may be driven forward or backward as desired. The shaft 64 of the rotor 62 extends through one side of the casing, and the end thereof is provided with a gear 14 that meshes with a gear 15 ona shaft 16 that may extend from an engine, motor, or the like.

The rod 1| extends through an opening IT in the housing 10, and the side of the opening may be provided with projections 18 and 19, providing notches in which the rod may be held. It will be understood that this rod and the method of holding the rod in different positions are substantially diagrammatically illustrated, and these parts or the association thereof with the transmission may be modified as desired.

The fluid transmission of this invention, therefore, includes a power driven rotor, generally referred to as the driving rotor, and a. driven rotor, with the rotors assembled in a common housing, and with the driving rotor encased in a drum with an elongated discharge orifice at one side, through which fluid pumped by the blades of the driving rotor is discharged to impinge the blades of the driven rotor. The driving rotor may be geared or otherwise connected to an engine, motor, or the like, and the driven rotor may be connected to the drive shaft of a motor vehicle or to any suitable machine or device desired. The speed of the driving elements is directly controlled by the speed of the engine or motor actuating the power or driving rotor. The vehicle or machine may be reversed by suitable gearing, as illustrated in Figure 2, or by shifting the position of the discharge orifice, as illustrated inFigure 5.

While a preferred specific embodiment of the invention is hereinbefore set forth, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact construction illustrated and described because various modifications of the details may be provided in putting the invention into practice within the purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a fluid transmission device, the combination, which comprises a driving rotor having blades in the periphery thereof, a driven rotor also having blades in the periphery thereof, a drum shaped casing surrounding the driving rotor and being provided with an elongated discharge orifice in itsperiphery wherein liquid dischargedtherefrom impinges the blades of the driven rotor, said drum shaped casing being rotatably adjustable to vary the position of said discharge orifice relative to the blades of said driven rotor, a housing enclosing said rotors, a liquid in said housing, said driving rotor and easing being partially immersed in said liquid while said driven rotor is disposed above the level of said liquid, the immersed portion of said casing being formed with inlet passages, means rotatably mounting the rotors in the housing, means connecting the driving rotor to a source of power, and means connecting the driven rotor to an operative element.

2. In a fluid transmission device, the combination, which comprises a driving ,rotorlhaving blades in the periphery thereof, a driven rotor also having blades in the periphery thereof, a drum shaped casing surrounding the driving rotor and being provided with an elongated discharge orifice in its periphery wherein liquid discharged therefrom impinges the blades of the driven rotor, means shifting the position of said discharge orifice to change the direction of rota tion of the driven rotor, a housing enclosing said rotors, a liquid in said housing, said driving rotor and casing being partially immersed in said liquid while said driven rotor is disposed above the level of the liquid, the immersed portion of said casing being formed with inlet passages, means rotatably mounting the rotors in the housing, means connecting the driving rotor to a source of power, and means connecting the driven rotor to an operative element.

3. In a fluid transmission device, the combination, which comprises a driving rotor having blades in the periphery thereof, a driven rotor also having blades in the peripher thereof, a drum shaped casing surrounding the driving rotor and being provided with an elongated discharge orifice in its periphery wherein liquid discharged therefrom impinges the blades of the driven rotor, said drum shaped casing being rotatably adjustable to vary the position of said orifice relative to the blades of said driven rotor,

a housing enclosing said rotors, a liquid in said housing, said driving rotor and casing being partially immersed in said liquid While said driven rotor is disposed above the level of the liquid, the immersed portion of said casing being formed with inlet passages, an operating member connected to said drum shaped casing and extending through said housing, means rotatably mounting the rotors in the housing, means connecting the driving rotor to a source of power, and means connecting the driven rotor to an operative element.

4. In a fluid transmission, the combination, which comprises a driving rotor having a plurality of radially extending blades, a driven rotor of a comparatively smaller diameter having a plurality of radially extending blades, a casing surrounding the driving rotor and spaced from the ends of the blades thereof, said casing having a discharge orifice positioned adjacent the driven rotor, said casing having openings in the lower side thereof, said casing being rotatably adjustable to vary the position of said orifice relative to the blades of said driven rotor, a housing enclosing the rotors and casing, a liquid in said housing, said driving rotor and casing being partially immersed in said liquid while said driven rotor is disposed above the level of said liquid, an operating member having one end connected to said casing and passing through an opening in said housing, a shaft upon which the driving rotor is fixedly mounted, means rotatably mounting the shaft of the driving rotor in the housing with one end extending therefrom, a shaft upon which the driven rotor is fixedly mounted, and means rotatably mounting the shaft of the driven rotor in the housing with the shaft extending from the housing.

DAVID B. ALEXANDER.

REFERENCES CITED following references are of record in the file 

